2017 Lineup Preview Event

September 14th, 2016

Dear Big Ears Friends and Fans:

At long last, those dog days of summer are starting to show some signs of fading away here in Knoxville. You can see hints of autumn in the evening light, and we’re deep into the booking and planning for Big Ears 2017, scheduled for March 23 – 26. To quote one of our favorite sons Cormac McCarthy, “The lights of Knoxville quaked in a faint penumbra…” and we are eager to share what’s in store for next year’s festival – starting next month!

On Wednesday, October 5th, we’ll be sharing the full Big Ears lineup and tickets will go on sale. That evening at 7pm, we’ll be hosting a free Preview of Big Ears 2017 event featuring the wonderful singer and composer Julianna Barwick and harpist Mary Lattimore(who was a special guest at this year’s Big Ears iteration). The concert will take place at our fabulous new music hall The Mill & Mine, which has evolved quite a bit since its opening weekend during Big Ears 2016. The evening will also include a word from our film partners at the Public Cinema, along with exciting peeks into the Big Ears documentary, still very much a work-in-progress by the amazing team at Rock Fish Stew. It’s not necessary to do so in order to attend, but you can RSVP to the free event on Facebook to connect with others who are interested in attending.

Between now and October 5th, we plan to start spilling the beans about some of the amazing programs in store for 2017. So … stay in touch with us for all the latest information on this upcoming event, as well as a few lineup clues, by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

In addition, I want to thank all of you who took the time to answer our survey and share your thoughts on our social media channels about your Big Ears experience this past year. Your feedback has been invaluable in helping us to plan for 2017 and to continue to evolve Big Ears. It’s inspiring and affirming for us to receive such overwhelmingly glowing praise – it helps us to know that we’re on the right track – while your suggestions and criticisms help us to evaluate and improve the experience, as well.

As always, we thank all of you for your amazing support and enthusiasm for our ever-expanding festival. What began as a modest passion project has steadily grown into a remarkable, internationally recognized celebration of music, art and creativity. Your passion and engagement has made that possible. Big Ears 2017 is shaping up to be an extraordinary weekend, continuing to build upon and explore the themes and tangents of past festivals; we know you’re going to be as blown away by the offerings as we are. There’s nothing quite like the Big Ears weekend: this curious gathering of visionary artists and cultural explorers here in the beautiful and historic setting – with more than a small tinge of southern mystery – of downtown Knoxville.